Mounting evidence for the benefits of cannabis-based medicines, for use in conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, MS and chronic pain, has shown patients get significant relief from suffering such as distressing nausea, poor appetite, muscle spasms and pain

Families of seriously ill children were given a major boost on Thursday night as a Bill legalising cannabis for medical purposes passed through the Dail.

Brought forward by People Before Profit’s Gino Kenny, it secured the backing of more than 90 TDs before being passed to committee stage.

He told RTE: “I had reservations about bringing this forward myself but the more I spoke with parents and their children, the more I’m completely convinced this will benefit a lot of people that need it.

“In a situation where traditional drugs don’t work for somebody, you would do anything to try alleviate that pain. And medical cannabis does work for people and I’ve seen that.”

Mr Kenny said he was open to the prospect of a wider debate on the legalisation of drugs, but that was for another day.

Mounting evidence for the benefits of cannabis-based medicines, for use in conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, MS and chronic pain, has shown patients get significant relief from suffering such as distressing nausea, poor appetite, muscle spasms and pain.

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The Independent Alliance were given a free vote on the issue and Fine Gael decided not to oppose it, after Health Minister Simon Harris met with Gino Kelly and fellow PBP TD Richard Boyd Barrett on Tuesday night.

At that meeting Mr Harris outlined his concerns that parts of the Bill called for complete legalisation of cannabis, which the pair agreed to amend before last night’s debate.

He said he wanted to send the message to parents the Government want to make real progress on the issue.

But he insisted the committee stage would not proceed until January, when a review by the Health Products Regulatory Authority is expected to be complete.

Mr Harris added: “As Minister for Health I have to make decisions based on the best clinical advice and for that reason I have to stress the importance of receiving the recommendations of the HPRA before the Bill would move on to the legislative scrutiny stage at committee.

“It is my hope that the work of the HPRA, the work of the Oireachtas committee and the progression of this bill will dovetail so we can arrive at the right solution in the best interests of patients.”

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Yesterday we highlighted the case of six-year-old Erica Cawley, who suffers from a rare condition known as Dravet Syndrome which causes constant epileptic seizures.

The six-year-old, from Clondalkin, West Dublin, suffered more than 200 seizures a day and could not walk or talk due to the effects of her disease.

She was unable to take anti-epilepsy medication as it put her in cardiac arrest but her family say using Charlotte’s Web oil, which contains a low dose of THC, drastically increases Erica’s quality of life.

However, her granddad John O’Meara warned she couldn’t wait until January.

He said: “Erica doesn’t have that time. She she has all spectrum of seizures – it’s all day every day.”